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Comments: Jeremiah Francis Aherne (Nee: ) | Ireland | 1941-1960 | Comments: Jeremiah Francis Aherne, (1889-26 may 1973), was a son of Jeremiah Aherne (c1866) and Bridget O'Brien (1862-1934) of Clogheen, Co. Tipperary. His parents had a farm in Cahir and a shop on Church Street, Cahir. Jeremiah married Johanna McGrath (1899 - 1974), a daughter of James McGrath, a Farmer and Mary Condon, of Woodport, Fermoy, Co. Cork on 11 February 1919 in Ballyhooley RC Church, Fermoy. Jeremiah was a serving soldier in the British Army at the time of marriage.
Jeremiah enlisted in the Royal Engineers in 1910 (SN 19730). He served in France in WWI firstly in 17 Field Company and then the 32nd Railway Operating Company from 20 November 1914 until July 1918 when he returned home as he had applied and been recommended for an officer's commission. Jeremiah fought at Ypres and Passchendael. Jeremiah was awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the Silver War Badge. By the end of the War he was an acting Corporal. Having started his Officer training he was told that commissions were being suspended because the War was over. All cadets were offered the choice of returning to their units or continuing training, but they would be discharged immediately on commissioning and would not receive any uniform allowance or pay as an Officer. Jeremiah chose the latter option and was appointed to a temporary commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Munster Fusiliers on 5 March 1919 and immediately discharged to the Reserve. He appears in the Army List of 1 March 1920 with the Munsters but not afterwards. At the outbreak of WWII he returned to military service. In 1943 he was listed on the Regular Army Reserve of Officers in the Auxiliary Pioneer Corps as a Class II 2nd Lieutenant 18 January 1940 (War Substantive Captain 22 July 1941). He attained the rank of Major by the end of WWII. His family understands that he oversaw the installation of coastal defences in Scotland during WWII. Between the Wars and after them he worked as an engineer. He was involved in the installation of the Shannon Hydro-Electric Scheme at Ard na Crusha in Ireland in the 1930's. He died at the Meath Hospital in Dublin.